Oreta Tsubasa De
by JereduLevenin
Summary: Crossover with an original unposted fiction. Ed, Al, and Roy find themselves hurled into a wild new adventure as worlds collide and the sacred barriers are broken. The trio of alchemists must team up with two new faces to stop the all consuming darkness.
1. Prologue: Boredom

**PLEASE READ THIS FIRST!** (It will save you from later confusion about the way I write!)

This is going to be the first story I've ever posted, so constructive feedback is much appreciated!

It's going to get pretty wild, later on. Yes, there will be some OC's, and it's going to be a crossover between my original fiction stories' characters and FMA. This is not the same as a story with original FMA characters. So, I consider it to be a crossover, but with an original universe, rather than with another existing universe. Just to make that clear. I don't know how frequently I'll update, but I'll try for at least a chapter a week. School keeps me pretty busy, so I might not be able to do that. This is the first time in a long time I have tried actually writing one of my stories. Usually I use artwork, rather than text, in expressing my stories. I actually have quite a few stories going, but right now, all of them are in my head and are too long and complicated for me to put down in writing properly. Also, I (and you readers) may find that this plot changes as the story progresses… my stories tend to write themselves along the way. I start writing the beginning of the story, even if I haven't fully developed my idea, and the plot (and details) work themselves out. You could say that my stories write themselves, and I am just a slave to the keyboard, typing it all as it happens.

Sorry for the long explanation. Now, without further adieu… I present:

**_Broken Wings_, Prologue- In the Beginning, There Was… Boredom**

(I do not own FMA; Aiylah Lohengren, Tiras, Lutra, Mauroleith, Lumania, Longloth, and everything else in the Roshtan Realm are all © to ME!)

Edward sighed.

"If that bastard Colonel gives me one more stupid assignment like this one, I SWEAR I'm going to transmute his head into a brick and toss him into the nearest lake, the military be DAMNED! 'Look for signs of anything unusual,' he says! _I'll _show him 'unusual.' I'll shove my unusual foot right up his-"

"Brother!" Alphonse looked at his brother, mortified…or, at least, as mortified as a suit of armor is capable of looking.

"-nose. But, seriously, Al, aren't you getting tired of this? It's been three days already, and nothing's come up," Edward continued. He was really getting sick of the Colonel's antics. One false lead after another and he was still no closer to finding the Stone than he had been six _months_ ago. And now there was this pointless (in Ed's opinion) little OUTPOST mission to a little town in the middle of nowhere, where he was supposed to twiddle his thumbs, looking for "signs of anything unusual." Yep. BO-RING. Not to mention the fact that he was cut off from Central's library, so he couldn't even research while he was here.

"Oh, come on, Brother! It's not _that_ bad…" Alphonse chided. "I mean, it could always be worse…The Colonel could have just sent you here alone, right? I'm sure he has a good reason to send us here!" Surely he could find some way to cheer Ed up… or it was going to be a VERY long assignment.

Ed just waved a gloved hand in dismissal. "I know," he growled, "but, dammit, Al, I don't want to be here! Why couldn't he send someone ELSE to do his dirty work? This assignment is just _insulting_! _Anyone_ can look for weird crap going on, but I'm a State Alchemist!" His voice was growing shrill; Alphonse winced, producing a hollow, metallic creak. Wrong thing to say. And Ed wasn't done yet.

"You would think that he would stop treating us like children! No child could pass the State Alchemy Exam! And yet he gives us this… this _baby_'s assignment!" Edward continued to rant. "It's like he's got some kind of personal _vendetta_! He just LOVES to piss me off!" Ed trailed off, having run out of things to say. Alphonse was getting worried. When Edward was this angry, the situation could become dangerous.

"Brother, please! Calm down! I bet he sent us up here because he knows how observant you are. If something IS going on, you're probably the first person who would notice!" Edward deflated a little.

"Yeah, I guess you could be right…" He smirked. "Mustang KNOWS I can be shrewd when I want to be…" The barest hint of a smile graced his lips. "I mean, State Alchemists aren't exactly well respected- I HAD to be shrewd, and careful, just to avoid getting driven out of most of the towns we stayed in. That was, of course, _before_ I became famous." Alphonse rolled his eyes, sighing inwardly with relief. Mission successful! Ed was like a firecracker- all it took was a little spark to set him off; and when he went off, it was always with a BANG!

Back in Central HQ…

The Flame Alchemist, Colonel Roy Mustang was currently doing…absolutely nothing. Well, to be precise, he was shuffling a stack of papers around on his desk… a stack that never seemed to stop growing. His gaze shifted upward, to the window. His midnight blue eyes narrowed. It was snowing outside. He sighed. Snow wasn't much better than rain, and he really hated the rain… It made him feel so useless.

He shivered, suddenly. It was as if a blanket of obscurity had suddenly settled over his mind, while an icy claw tickled his throat… The sensation vanished as if it had never been.

Suppressing a yawn, he returned his gaze to the mountain of papers in front of him. _That was strange. I wonder if it has anything to do with that odd report I heard in Damera… Hn. Probably just a draft of cold air._ Back to the task at hand. Oh, how he loathed paperwork…

KNOCK, KNOCK. CREEEEAAAK… SLAM! 

He sighed. "Yes, First Lieutenant Hawkeye?"

_THUD _

"More paperwork, Sir." Roy stared down at the papers in dismay, then up at the impassive First Lieutenant. Yikes. She was like a rose… pretty, with lots of thorns. Too many thorns. And she was not to be swayed.

"I suppose you want me to fill all of these out, too, First Lieutenant?"

"That would be in your best interest, Sir."

CLICK 

She had pulled out her gun. Ouch. Forced to do paperwork at gunpoint. That was never fun…for the Colonel, anyway. For First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, it was standard procedure when dealing with a perpetually lazy Colonel. And Roy Mustang was the Prince of Procrastination, when it came to filling out paperwork… Indeed. The man was begging for strict discipline.

"Colonel. Paperwork. Now."

Roy smiled innocently. "Of course. Do you have any reason to doubt me?" Riza was not amused.

"With all due respect, Sir, yes, I do. You have a history of neglecting-"

"All right! Forget I asked." _I should just burn the whole damn pile_… His fingers twitched subconsciously. He started to reach for his pocket…

"Leave the ignition gloves where they are, Sir." Damn. Ah, well. It wasn't worth a bullet hole in his forehead. He sighed and picked up a pen, resignedly. _I wonder how Fullmetal is doing…_ Sadly enough, Roy actually looked _forward_ to reading the kid's reports. They were the only interesting papers he ever received… The First Lieutenant's frown deepened. Back to work.

An unknown location- Roshtan Realm (Other Universe)

A cold wind was blowing. But, something wasn't right. It was coming from the forest, not the sea. And it wasn't in the air that he felt it… it was in his mind. Aiylah Lohengren was worried. Seriously worried. The Lutran dawn sky had never been so dark. And the forests of Longloth were screaming… Something was happening on Lumania… and Lumania's perils were usually reflected here, in Mauroleith. The sister worlds were linked, after all. His skin began to crawl.

"Aiylah. You've been staring at that scrying pool and shivering for three hours. You're making _me_ anxious," drawled a voice above his shoulder. The boy looked up, startled, his long crimson hair falling over his shoulder. Of course- it was only Tiras. The young man's startlingly blue eyes were twinkling with laughter, even as he scowled. "You know, you look like a girl with all of that hair… you should cut it,"

"Now, why would I want to do that? It's tied back in a tail. That's good enough. And YOU are trying to distract me. " Aiylah's aqua cat's eyes were dark with worry, even as he joked, the twin horizontal red stripes below them serving as a constant reminder that he was, in fact, not human. Tiras blinked and looked down into the pool.

"Odd. Feels like a storm… but it doesn't smell like water…" Tiras absently ran his fingers through his dark, golden hair. It was a strange feeling- like static in the air, when lightning is about to strike. The tension… it was a nearly tangible thing.

"What does it smell like, then?" Aiylah knew that Tiras now felt the same shadow on his mind. And, indeed- his reply was solemn, and his demeanor grim.

"Fire. It smells like a storm of fire."

_"WELL?"_

_"Everything is going smoothly, Lord…except-"_

_"WHAT IS IT?"_

_"Well, there is one…we think he suspects…But it should not be an issue."_

_"GOOD. THEN BEGIN THE FIRST STAGE."_

A world away is not far enough

To escape the Shadow's embrace.

A terror that silences every heart's song

Is marked by a thousand nameless graves.

-

In the coldness you feel,

The wounds will not heal.

And "hope" is a word from mad ravings.

The Shadow devours

The radiant Light's flowers,

And the people are naught but gods' playthings.

-

It's hard to forgive you,

But it's worse to forget

The ones Love abandoned

And what Hate begets.

I try to remember;

The chains were unbound!

But it's gone, now, forever;

I've lost all I found.

-

It's almost too late to save you,

But I try however I can.

Worlds will collide from your waking dream's power;

All I can do now is follow you, again.

All of us just try to live,

And take on whatever life brings.

But even though mankind tries to soar,

All we can do… is flap broken wings.

-

I'll flap my broken wings.

I'll fly to you, someway, somehow-

I'll flap my broken wings.

-Original poem "Broken Wings"

TBC…

Well? Like? Dislike? **_Read and review, PLEASE!_** I really like feedback, of all kinds, even ideas. If I get the feeling that a story is disliked in general, I WILL DISCONTINUE IT. But don't worry, I won't go there, yet.

I will not update until I get at least THREE REVIEWS! This is so I know that people have read the prologue before they move on to the first chapter!

I will not be able to post a new chapter every day, like some amazing people, but I will try to post at least one or two a week. If I can find a way, I will TRY to find a way to post any artwork I have done that is related to these stories. They will probably be on sites like: either http/elfwood.lysator.liu.se, or Deviant Arts. I don't know. I appreciate artwork done by other people, as well, although I would ask that you not draw any of the original characters unless I have already posted pictures of them (sorry, but I am really picky- I want to make sure people know exactly how _I_ want my characters to look!), but I hope nobody minds. I take fanart as a big complement.


	2. Ch1 Dreams & Omens The Journey Begins

Yay! Reviews, WAI!  
Thank you to all those who reviewed! 

**Cla**- Rest assured; it's not going to be yaoi! Mostly fluff, I think- I don't want to turn people off of my first story. A totally ignorant person will probably be able to read it and not find it. It's there, but only if you squint. I like to think that Ed and Roy CARE about each other. You know how some siblings fight all the time? It's like that. As to the OC/OC- same thing, without the fighting. I can't stand the stuff that's like "and Ed suddenly realized that he was in love with Roy…yada, yada, yada." So don't worry… I'm sparing all of your semi-virgin eyes! Most people (except the homophobes) will be able to read this quite comfortably.

**Trenchcoatgirl-Kyo**- Thanks! I decided to start with a show I was really familiar with- it makes the characters easier to write!

**Broken Wings, Chapter One- Dreams & Omens: The Journey Begins**

**-**

_The stars- so many; too many- twinkled fitfully from a velvet sky, the trees whispering softly in the still air as if in anticipation of some momentous event. All was enveloped in shadow, briefly, as a cloud swept across the moons. The land itself was waiting, poised; the night was nearly dead. The false dawn was approaching- that ambiguous hour, when the whole world seemed to be holding its breath. It was the hour of nothing; it was the hour of everything. The void and the veil, full of wonder… and an ancient fear. It was the magic hour, when reality and illusion intermingle, and the barrier between worlds is weak.  
_

_"It is almost time"_

_-_

Golden eyes snapped open, but Edward's mind was still held by the waking dream.

_"Now,"_ the voice in his mind whispered.

Ed sat up, blinking in confusion. It was only a dream. Just a dream. But why did it feel so… real? The dream had left a nagging sense of urgency, but it was a feeling he couldn't comprehend. What? What was it he was waiting for? And why the hell were there _two_ moons in that sky? And why the HELL did he want to _believe_ it?

Ed groaned, massaging his temples. It was still twilight. He scowled and ducked his head out the window, just to be sure. Nope. Only one moon in the sky.

_A world with two moons and soaring cathedrals of green, untouched by development_; why on earth would he dream up something like that?

"Maybe it's a sign. Damn Colonel's finally driven me crazy." He snickered. Wouldn't that be just perfect-

"What're you talking about, Brother?" Alphonse entered the room quietly…Well, quietly for a great, big, clanking suit of armor.

"I dunno, Al. Just had a weird dream-"

"You mean, you had one, too?" Alphonse cut him off. He was excited. "Maybe it means something! Something important!" Normally, neither of the Elric brothers believed in omens, but…

"…You dream? I didn't think you could sleep…" Ed arched a questioning eyebrow at his younger brother.

"Well…" Alphonse searched for the right words. "You're right; I CAN'T sleep, not exactly. I sort of…meditate. It's as close to sleeping as I can get," he explained. "Sometimes," Al continued, "I'm able to… zone out. That's when I… sort-of-dream." He trailed off, explanation through.

"'Sort-of-dream?'" Ed was confused; Alphonse wasn't making very much sense. "And by that you mean…? What?" Ed sat down on the edge of the bed; Alphonse came and sat beside him. Ed grunted and leaned against the cold armor, then looked up at the helmet expectantly. Al sighed as he tried to put the phenomenon into words. Even though he couldn't feel anything, and even though Ed still flinched at the touch of cold steel where a warm, living, breathing, loving body should be, both brothers took comfort in each others' presence.

Ed snuggled closer; his body heat was warming the armor. Al looked down thoughtfully. Edward frowned.

"You're either dreaming, or you're not. How can you only dream part way? You aren't making any sense, Al." Alphonse shrugged, clanking hollowly.

"It's _like_ dreaming, but it's not. Not really… Usually, I'm just…remembering," Alphonse finally said.

"Remembering?" Ed questioned sharply. "Before, or after?" Oh, Gods…he fervently hoped Al wasn't remembering the nightmares… his sin. The reason his brother couldn't sleep, couldn't eat…couldn't feel. Couldn't cry.

"Before, mostly." Alphonse broke his train of thought. "I remember Mom a lot. The way she would hold me… and smile," Alphonse drifted off. Ed sighed in relief. "The memories come back to me the most clearly _then_, at night."…Al had finished.

"And this time?" Ed questioned, shifting slightly against his brother. Alphonse looked away, toward the window.

"It was really different…Not a memory." He turned and looked Ed straight in the eyes. "It was like a vision, or a message. It was too strange to be a memory. I mean, Amestris never had… _two_ moons, right?" Al studied Ed's face, watching his reaction… Ed stiffened, eyes widening.

"You had the same dream, then…" Ed was uneasy again. There were no coincidences. They had learned that the hard way. There must be a reason… Ed's stomach growled.

"Eh-heh…" Then again, they could always talk about it later… "Let's see what they've g-"

The walls began to shake.

"What the-?" Ed dashed outside, alarmed.

"Brother! Wait for me! What's going on?" Al dashed after his brother. Ed was standing in the middle of the street. For some reason, his eyes were drawn to the edge of the woods just outside of town. His golden eyes narrowed.

"Brother!" Ed dashed toward the woods. Al followed him. "Brother, wait!"

Ed stopped, looking up at the moon. It was balanced on the horizon. Al skidded to a halt beside him. He followed Ed's gaze…

Then the air _twisted_.

The rumbling stopped. Ed blinked.

"What…the hell was THAT?" Alphonse turned slowly to face Edward, equally bewildered.

"Brother… what's going on?"

"I don't know, Al. I don't know."

-

A bit later…

"Mister Elric, sir!" Ed groaned and stood up.

"What is it?" He really hoped nothing else had happened.

"There is a call from Central, sir." Ed scowled.

"They said it was urgent?" The man nodded. Ed's scowl deepened.

"Brother, you'd better see what they want." Ed sighed.

-

"What is it, Mustang?" Ed growled. "And wipe that smirk off your face! I can hear it." Edward was not pleased.

"Now, now, Fullmetal. Is that any way to treat your superiors?" Edward just snarled in response.

"Bastard…" The man hadn't been speaking for a minute and Edward was already pissed off…

"Edward, something strange happened at Central this morning shortly after I woke up. I have a question to ask you."

Edward tensed.

"And?"

"Did you have any… strange dreams… this morning?" Roy's voice was no longer lighthearted. He sounded grim.

"Did it involve two moons? Followed by an earthquake later in the morning? With the air warping in front of you? And voices in your head? If so, then, yeah, I had strange dreams."

Roy Mustang chuckled. "So. It happened there, too? All right. Your new orders are to investigate this incident fully, as it seems to have originated in Damera." Edward grinned evilly, throwing a mocking salute (not that the Colonel could see him).

"Yes, Sir, colonel Bastard, Sir!"

* * *

In Central… 

Roy Mustang smirked as he left a parting remark.

"Oh, and, Fullmetal?"

-"Yes, Colonel Bastard?"

"Try not to get in over your head. Although… considering your stature, that wouldn't be very hard to do."

"Son of a-" Roy hung up the phone. Flame Alchemist: 1, Fullmetal: 0. Roy stood up.

"Hawkeye, inform Second Lieutenant Havoc that he is to fill in for me, here." He raised a hand for silence as Riza opened her mouth to protest.

"Book us a train, Hawkeye. We're going to Damera." Riza sighed. She knew better than to argue with the Colonel when he was like this. The man could be incredibly stubborn.

"Right away, sir."

"Good. It's time for me to pay Fullmetal a visit."

-

Roy Mustang sighed, the droning rumble of the train masking the noise. He should have brought a book… or something. He hadn't realized that the trip to Damera would take so long. He looked out the window. The stars twinkled merrily, the night sky's laughter.

_-Unfamiliar constellations shimmered as the moons, one full and the other a waning crescent, glowed balefully from behind a veil of clouds.-_

Roy blinked as the image came unbidden from his memory of that morning. He wanted answers, and Fullmetal was gong to help him find them.

"Hawkeye, how much do we know about Damera?" She turned toward him, expression thoughtful.

"Actually, not very much, Sir. Nothing of consequence. It is a small town on the edge of a forest. Nothing of any importance has ever occurred there before."

"But now something has," Roy interjected. He was convinced that the incident at Central was related. He _knew_ **something** big was happening.

"Sir, that is still in speculation. Not everyone in the military is convinced that it means anything at all. In fact, you are one of the few who _do_ believe that the incident meant something." Riza's eyes were unreadable.

"…Do _you_ believe me, Hawkeye? Do _you_ believe it is important?" Roy locked midnight blue eyes with her dark amber orbs. She held his gaze steadfastly.

"You know that I will follow you wherever you go." He nodded, his expression serious.

"I know. Who else?"

She ticked names off on her fingers as she listed them.

"Besides you and myself… Havoc, Fury, Falman, Breda, Block, Ross, Armstrong, Hughes… a few others. The rest…" Roy raised his hand, cutting her off.

"So, basically, my subordinates and devoted followers." Riza sighed, nodding.

"It's true, Sir. The rest believe you are beginning to 'lose your touch.'" Roy knew… they put on a front of acquiescence, then rolled their collective eyes behind his back. His gaze returned to the window. The scenery flashed past, a phantom landscape in the starlight. Riza studied his posture. Ever since the incident, the Colonel seemed to be… expectant. Waiting for something. But what? The starlight lent an ethereal glow to his face, sparkling in his obsidian hair. She hoped, for his sake, that he was right.

The train carried them on, into the darkness.

* * *

_-Dawn washed over the land in a tide of bloody light. Everything was painted crimson. The treetops were sculptures of flame. The wind howled, lashing Aiylah's face as his hair whipped in front of him. He raised a hand, shielding his face from the onslaught, his aqua eyes half-lidded. He stood on the edge of infinity. He looked up, to the blazing sky, both legs braced against the wind. He jumped.-_

Aquamarine eyes shot open, pupils dilated and round. He immediately squinted against the bright sunlight, pupils already contracted into slits. He got up and padded softly over to the figure seated on the ground nearby. His tail lashed. He rose to his hind legs, lifting a hand-paw to a nearby tree.

"The forest is quiet again, Tiras," He fell back to all fours, shaking ebony locks out of his face. He knelt down. Tiras stretched out on the ground.

"I know. I've been listening to the trees for the past hour." Tiras raised a hand to rub the base of the red-furred one's horns. Aiylah's muzzle lowered until it was mere inches from Tiras's face. He sighed, a pointed ear flicking back as a bird screamed shrilly. His mane fell back across his long nick and powerful, striped shoulders.

"Stop that; your whiskers tickle." Aiylah merely chuckled, spines on his shoulders flashing in the sunlight. His form rippled.

"That better?" the red-haired boy asked.

"No, now your ridiculously long hair is in my face." Aiylah rolled off and flopped down beside him, humming softly to himself.

"So… do you feel it? Tiras cracked an ultramarine eye open at the question; the other eye followed when Aiylah turned to lay his head across Tiras's chest, snuggling closer.

"You mean… the calling?" Tiras had felt a strange pull, drawing him to the forest's heart, ever since he woke up. It seemed to precipitate from the strange dreams he'd had the night before.

"Mmph." Aiylah closed his eyes. "You're warm." Tiras raised a hand to stroke the silken red mop.

"You want to check it out? I know how curious you _Hadrih Talla_ are…" Aiylah smiled in response. Tiras raised his head. "You'll have to let me up if you want to go anywhere at all." Aiylah rolled back on top of him, resting his chin on his crossed arms. He grinned, pointed canines catching the sunlight.

"Nah… I kind of like you where you are. It's more comfortable… for me, that is." Tiras chuckled and shoved him off.

"Get up, pup. You know the only one who can win against me is the General." There was a dangerous glint in Aiylah's eyes.

"That's only 'cause you've never tried ME before," Aiylah growled, playfully. "Care to take me on?" Tiras laughed outright, shaking his head. Aiylah tackled him. Instead of trying to block, Tiras simply opened his arms and caught the redhead.

"All right, all right! Not right now," Tiras gasped. "I don't need to spar you; I've seen you fight. I'd rather NOT get knocked on my rear in the dust one more time this morning." Aiylah decided to cling; the boy was a leech!

"…Damn straight," he muttered. "I'll knock you flat…" Tiras proceeded to detach the arms that were currently wrapped around his neck. "I've never actually challenged the General." Tiras looked down in surprise.

"Really? If you ever get the urge, let me know," he said, amused. "That's one thing I'd really like to see." Aiylah finally let go and dropped to the ground. It had always amused Tiras that the boy was half a head shorter than he…

"There're leaves stuck in your hair, Tiras." Aiylah reached up to pluck one out. Tiras shook his head, golden hair flying. It was getting long; it now reached past the nape of his neck. He ran fingers through it, leaves falling to the ground. He laid a hand on one of Aiylah's striped shoulders. The stripes had always reminded him of claw marks- three of them, running horizontally, on each shoulder, all a bright flaming crimson.

"Well… shall we go now?" Aiylah absently drew a finger across the stripe beneath his eye, tracing the red mark. Tiras stretched.

"I wonder if the cities felt anything…" He said, blue eyes gazing skyward.

"Nah… cityfolk don't feel the connection to the world of Lumania as strongly. That place is all untouched land…the magic doesn't allow technology to work. Not like this world…" He reached down to the gun holster on his leg. "Lævætæn here might work; it uses magic- but most machines short out from the magic pouring out of the planet's core…We're lucky, here on Mauroleith…" Tiras nodded, looking toward the high tower in the distance.

"I don't think Lumania's plight will affect us directly…" Tiras started forward. "No… this is much more serious and immediate. The cities may not feel the tension you and I felt at the Pool… but I'll be _damned_ if every man, woman, child, beast, and every other being on this world DIDN'T feel SOMETHING last night." He reached up to place a long- fingered hand on his chest. "That wasn't Lumania… it is THIS planet, and it is calling us to protect what we saved once before. It is a call we feel inside, in our hearts." Aiylah nodded; he felt it perhaps even more than Tiras.

"Aye. The _Hadrih Talla_ are closely connected with the land. We are the "Fire Hearted"- magical simply by our existence. I feel it, all right." He frowned. "I don't think this is only going to involve Mauroleith."

Tiras grunted, stepping over an enormous tree root. "I think that part of what we felt was the barriers themselves weakening." They walked on in comfortable silence. Tiras seemed to almost be in a trance, eyes half lidded in deep reflection. Aiylah watched him, a worried frown creasing his forehead. The man had already sacrificed a lot for this planet. Not that they could either of them refuse the call, but…

"Gah!" Tiras had stumbled over a tree root. Aiylah snickered. Tiras glared in mock outrage. Aiylah smiled and shrugged.

"Best keep an eye on the ground, friend…" On second thought, there shouldn't be any problem. Not for the planet's champions… But… Could they do it alone? Van had disappeared; General Seraphim A'Lonquin was tied down with his job; Inbar Euch'me had also vanished (the _Rongar_ "Dragon" was a hard man to find- he was probably training his followers); Koru Alloran was aiding the General; Loénria Fenrí and Amaris Leóna were both occupied by their jobs as the Southern and Western portal guardians- protected by the powers of the Lord of the Red Wind (the Firelord dragon, Vauzhu south), and the Lord of the Cerulean Sea (great sea dragon/serpent, Lævætæn west); and Zigan Windfall had returned to Lumania, aiding young Riven, called Prince of Dawn (of Lutra), in his plight. Only himself and (the once "_Lord_") Tiras remained free, both having opted to roam the land, keeping the Shadow's forces in check. It was, in fact, a rather serious undertaking.

Aiylah pulled out his forked wooded flute, playing a soft tune (A/N: a duet-he could play two parts at once) as they walked- the music had a magical property, too. He wove a protective barrier as he played, the forest leaning in to listen. Tiras pulled out his flute and joined in, creating the effect of a trio. A passerby, looking on with the Heart's Sight, would have seen only two bright spirits, one a blazing blue-white, the smaller a bright flame. They were hidden from prying eyes, but those with that rare magical sight (the Heart's Sight) would feel their blazing auras, along with a residual magic from the music.

They went onward, toward the heart of the ancient forest, Lote's forest, and were slowly engulfed by the green twilight.

* * *

_The Heartless One sneered; he was second only to the Lord Shadoweyes Himself. He focused on the figure in the scrying pool before him. The figure returned the sneer, lounging back in a black, leather armchair. The figure spoke._

_"So…Lord Gunjen, is it?" A short nod. "All right, then…Gunjen…You say your master wants my…assistance…with his plan? And if I accept…He will give me that which I desire…the object we discussed?"_

_"Yes. The Lord Shadoweyes is, in fact, one who keeps his word. After all, there IS honor amongst the Dark Lords," Gunjen stated. The figure grinned, shark teeth flashing in the lamplight._

_"I like that. Tell him I accept."_

_Gunjen smiled, a sinister, frightening expression._

_"Good. You may begin immediately. You will report only to myself any my Lord Shadoweyes." He paused. "We expect much from you. Do not fail us, Envy. I need not threaten you; you are well aware of the consequences," he grated. "You serve the greatest being across two worlds- an honored position; you will behave accordingly."_

_Envy chuckled, leaning forward intently._

_"Don't worry. 'Failure' is one thing I'm rather inexperienced with. This should be fun."_

TBC…

Read and review, please! Man, that was a lot of typing. I'm sick right now, and it's slowing down my writing. It's hard to be motivated when you feel like crap. But reviews make me feel better and more likely to update! ;)


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